Education and Training in Autism and Developmental Disabilities

164 Pages·2014·10.24 MB·English

Education and
Training
in
Autism
and
Developmental
Disabilities
Focusing on individuals with
autism, intellectual disability and other developmental disabilities
DDAADDDD
Volume 49 Number 2 June 2014
J
u
n
e
2
0
1
4
E
d
u
c
a
t
io
n
a
n
d
T
r
a
in
in
g
in
A
u
t
is
m
a
n
d
D
e
v
e
lo
p
m
e
n
t
a
l
D
is
a
b
ilit
ie
s
V
o
l.
4
9
,
N
o
.
2
,
p
p
.
1
6
9
–
3
2
8
Education and Training in Autism and Developmental Disabilities
The Journal of the Division on Autism and Developmental Disabilities,
The Council for Exceptional Children
Editor:StanleyH.Zucker EditorialAssistant: KathleenM.Corley
ArizonaStateUniversity ArizonaStateUniversity
MaryLouFultonTeachersCollege MaryLouFultonTeachersCollege
ConsultingEditors
MartinAgran DavidL.Gast JohnMcDonnell LaurenceR.Sargent
ReubenAltman HerbertGoldstein LindaC.Mechling GaryM.Sasso
PhillipJ.Belfiore JulietE.Hart GabrielA.Nardi TomE.C.Smith
SamuelA.DiGangi CarolynHughes JohnNietupski ScottSparks
MichaelP.Brady LarryK.Irvin JamesR.Patton FredSpooner
FreddaBrown JamesV.Kahn EdwardA.Polloway RobertStodden
MaryLynneCalhoun H.EarleKnowlton ThomasG.Roberts KeithStorey
SharonF.Cramer BarryW.Lavay RobertS.Rueda DavidL.Westling
CarolineDunn RenaLewis DianeL.Ryndak JohnJ.Wheeler
LiseFox KathleenJ.Marshall EdwardJ.Sabornie MarkWolery
EducationandTraininginAutismandDevelopmentalDisabilitiesissenttoallmembersoftheDivisiononAutismandDevelopmental
DisabilitiesofTheCouncilforExceptionalChildren.AllDivisionmembersmustfirstbemembersofTheCouncilforExceptionalChildren.
Divisionmembershipduesare$30.00forregularmembersand$15.00forfulltimestudents.Membershipisonayearlybasis.Allinquiries
concerningmembership,subscription,advertising,etc.shouldbesenttotheDivisiononAutismandDevelopmentalDisabilities,2900Crystal
Drive,Suite1000,Arlington,VA22202-3557.Advertisingratesareavailableuponrequest.
Manuscriptsshouldbetyped,doublespaced,andsent(threecopies)totheEditor:StanleyH.Zucker,MaryLouFultonTeachersCollege,
Box871811,ArizonaStateUniversity,Tempe,AZ85287-1811.Eachmanuscriptshouldhaveacoversheetthatgivesthenames,affiliations,and
completeaddressesofallauthors.
EditingpoliciesarebasedonthePublicationManual,theAmericanPsychologicalAssociation,2009revision.Additionalinformationis
providedontheinsidebackcover.Anysignedarticleisthepersonalexpressionoftheauthor;likewise,anyadvertisementistheresponsibility
oftheadvertiser.NeithernecessarilycarriesDivisionendorsementunlessspecificallysetforthbyadoptedresolution.
EducationandTraininginAutismandDevelopmentalDisabilitiesisabstractedandindexedinPsychologicalAbstracts,PsycINFO,e-psyche,
AbstractsforSocialWorkers,InternationalJournalofRehabilitationResearch,CurrentContents/SocialandBehavioralSciences,Excerpta
Medica,SocialSciencesCitationIndex,AdolescentMentalHealthAbstracts,EducationalAdministrationAbstracts,EducationalResearch
Abstracts, and Language and Language Behavior Abstracts. Additionally, it is annotated and indexed by the ERIC Clearinghouse on
HandicappedandGiftedChildrenforpublicationinthemonthlyprintindexCurrentIndextoJournalsinEducationandthequarterlyindex,
ExceptionalChildEducationResources.AccessisalsoavailableinEBSCO,ProQuest,andJSTOR.
EducationandTraininginAutismandDevelopmentalDisabilitiesVol.49,No.2,June2014,Copyright2014bytheDivisiononAustimand
DevelopmentalDisabilities,TheCouncilforExceptionalChildren.
Division on Autism and Developmental Disabilities
The Council for Exceptional Children
BoardofDirectors
Officers Members ExecutiveDirector
TeresaDoughty
PastPresidentNikkiMurdick DebraCote PublicationsChair
PresidentAmandaBoutot RichardGargiulo MichaelWehmeyer
President-ElectDianneZager BethKavannagh CommunicationsChair
VicePresidentDavidCihak LynnStansberry-Brusnahan EmilyC.Bouck
SecretaryDagnyFidler AngieStone-MacDonald ConferenceCoordinator
TreasurerGardnerUmbarger LeahWood(StudentRepresentative) CindyPerras
Thepurposesofthisorganizationshallbetoadvancetheeducationandwelfareofpersonswithautismanddevelopmentaldisabilities,research
intheeducationofpersonswithautismanddevelopmentaldisabilities,competencyofeducatorsinthisfield,publicunderstandingofautism
anddevelopmentaldisabilities,andlegislationneededtohelpaccomplishthesegoals.TheDivisionshallencourageandpromoteprofessional
growth,research,andthedisseminationandutilizationofresearchfindings.
EDUCATIONANDTRAININGINAUTISMANDDEVELOPMENTALDISABILITIES(ISSN2154-1647)(USPS0016-8500)ispub-
lishedquarterly,byTheCouncilforExceptionalChildren,DivisiononAutismandDevelopmentalDisabilities,2900CrystalDrive,Suite
1000,Arlington,Virginia22202-3557.Members’duestoTheCouncilforExceptionalChildrenDivisiononDevelopmentalDisabilities
include$8.00forsubscriptiontoEDUCATIONANDTRAININGINAUTISMANDDEVELOPMENTALDISABILITIES.Subscription
toEDUCATIONANDTRAININGINAUTISMANDDEVELOPMENTALDISABILITIESisavailablewithoutmembership;Individual—
U.S.$60.00peryear;Canada,PUAS,andallothercountries$64.00;Institutions—U.S.$195.00peryear;Canada,PUAS,andallother
countries$199.50;singlecopypriceis$30.00.U.S.PeriodicalspostageispaidatArlington,Virginia22204andadditionalmailing
offices.
POSTMASTERS:SendaddresschangestoEDUCATIONANDTRAININGINAUTISMANDDEVELOPMENTALDISABILITIES,
2900CrystalDrive,Suite1000,Arlington,Virginia22202-3557.
Education and Training in Autism and Developmental
Disabilities
VOLUME 49 NUMBER 2 JUNE 2014
Addition to Transition Assessment Resources: A Template for Determining
the Use of Guardianship Alternatives for Students who have Intellectual
Disability 171
DOROTHY SQUATRITO MILLAR
Teaching Problem Solving Skills to Elementary Age Students with Autism 189
DEBRA L. COTE, VITA L. JONES, CRYSTAL BARNETT, KARIN PAVELEK,
HOANG NGUYEN, and SHANNON L. SPARKS
Comparison of Video and Live Modeling in Teaching Response Chains to
Children with Autism 200
YASEMIN ERGENEKON, ELIF TEKIN-IFTAR, ALPER KAPAN, and NURGUL AKMANOGLU
“Let’s Talk!”: Increasing Novel Peer-Directed Questions by High School
Students with Autism to Their General Education Peers 214
CAITLIN REILLY, CAROLYN HUGHES, MICHELLE HARVEY, NICOLETTE BRIGHAM,
JOSEPH COSGRIFF, LAUREN KAPLAN, and REBEKAH BERNSTEIN
Alignment of Sexuality Education with Self Determination for People with
Significant Disabilities: A Review of Research and Future Directions 232
JASON TRAVERS, MATT TINCANI, PEGGY SCHAEFER WHITBY, and
E. AMANDA BOUTOT
An Investigation of Strategic Writing Instruction for Post-Secondary Students
with Developmental Disabilities 248
SUZANNE WOODS-GROVES, YOUJIA HUA, WILLIAM J. THERRIEN,
ERICA R. KALDENBERG, JO M. HENDRICKSON, KRISTIN G. LUCAS, and
MELISSA J. MCANINCH
Effectiveness of the Modified Intensive Toilet Training Method on Teaching
Toilet Skills to Children with Autism 263
AVS¸AR ARDIC¸ and ATILLA CAVKAYTAR
Promoting the Self-Determination of Elementary and Secondary Students with
Disabilities: Perspectives of General and Special Educators in Korea 277
HYOJEONG SEO
Mothers’ and Fathers’ Perspectives on Quality Special Educators and the
Attributes that Influence Effective Inclusive Practices 290
ELIZABETH A. WEST and JODY M. PIRTLE
Job-Preference and Job-Matching Assessment Results and Their Association
with Job Performance and Satisfaction among Young Adults with
Developmental Disabilities 301
JULIE HALL, ROBERT L. MORGAN, and CHARLES L. SALZBERG
Effects of Self-Monitoring and Recruiting Teacher Attention on Pre-
Vocational Skills 313
CHRISTINA A. ROUSE, JULIE M. EVERHART-SHERWOOD, and
SHEILA R. ALBER-MORGAN
Manuscripts Accepted for Future Publication in Education and Training in
Developmental Disabilities 170
TheDivisiononAutismandDevelopmentalDisabilitiesretainsliterarypropertyrightsoncopyrightedarticles.Up
to100copiesofthearticlesinthisjournalmaybereproducedfornonprofitdistributionwithoutpermissionfrom
thepublisher.Allotherformsofreproductionrequirepermissionfromthepublisher.
Manuscripts Accepted for Future Publication in Education
and Training in Autism and Developmental Disabilities
September2014
Evidencebaseofafunctionalcurriculumforsecondarystudentswithmildintellectualdisability:A
historicalperspective.EmilyC.BouckandRajivSatsangi,5146BRNGHall,PurdueUniversity,100
N.UniversityStreet,WestLafayette,IN47907.
Using simultaneous prompting and computer-assisted instruction to teach narrative writing to
students with autism. Robert C. Pennington, Robert C. Pennington, Belva C. Collins, Donald M.
Stenhoff,KennedyTurner,andKarenGunselman,DepartmentofSpecialEducation,Collegeof
EducationandHumanDevelopment,UniversityofLouisville,Loiusville,KY40292.
Continuous video modeling to assist with completion of multi-step home living tasks by young
adultswithmoderateintellectualdisability.LindaC.Mechling,KevinM.Ayres,KathrynJ.Bryant,
and Ashley L. Foster, University of North Carolina Wilmington, Department of Early Childhood
andSpecialEducation,DonaldR.WatsonSchoolofEducation,601SouthCollegeRoad,Wilming-
ton,NC28403-5940.
Comparingsimultaneouspromptingandconstanttimedelaytoteachleisureskillstostudentswith
moderate intellectual disability. Jannike Seward, John W. Schuster, Melinda Jones Ault, Belva C.
Collins,andMeadaHall,SpecialEducationandRehabilitationCounseling,229TaylorEducation
Building,UniversityofKentucky,Lexington,KY40506.
Reviewofresearch-basedinterventionsforstudentswithautismspectrumdisordersincontentarea
instruction: Implications and consideration for classroom practice. Vicky G. Spencer, Anya S.
Evmenova,RichardT.Boon,andLauraHayes-Harris,GeorgeMasonUniversity,DivisionofSpecial
EducationandDisabilityResearch,4400UniversityDr.,MS1F2,Fairfax,VA22030.
Self-determined goal selection and planning by students with disabilities across grade bands and
disability categories. Jane O’Regan Kleinert, Elizabeth Harrison, Karen Rose Mills, Brittney M.
Dueppen, and Ann Michelle Trailor, University of Kentucky, 124N CTW Building, 900 S. Lime-
stoneSt.,Lexington,KY40536-0200.
Usingprogressivevideopromptingtoteachstudentswithmoderateintellectualdisabilitytoshoot
abasketball.Ya-yuLo,BradleyBurk,andAdrienneL.Anderson,DepartmentofSpecialEducation
and Child Development, University of North Carolina Charlotte, 9201 University City Blvd.,
Charlotte,NC28223.
ImpactoftheSelf-DeterminedLearningModelofInstructiononteacherperceptionsofstudent
capacityandopportunitiesforself-determination.KarrieA.Shogren,AnthonyJ.Plotner,SusanB.
Palmer, Michael L. Wehmeyer, and Youngshil Paek, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign,
DepartmentofSpecialEducation,1310S.SixthStreet,228Education,Champaign,IL61820.
Effects of the paraphrasing strategy on expository reading comprehension of young adults with
intellectual disability. Youjia Hua, Suzanne Woods-Groves, Jeremy W. Ford, and Kelly A. Nobles,
UniversityofIowa,CollegeofEducation,DepartmentofTeachingandLearning,N256Lindquist
Center,IowaCity,IA52242.
Effectsofschoolcounselorsupervisedpeertutoringinterventionininclusivesettingsonmeeting
IEP outcomes of students with developmental disabilities. Serhat Odluyurt, Elif Tekin-Iftar, and
GulhanErsoy,AnadoluUniversity,EngellilerArastirmaEnstitusu,Eskisehir,26470,TURKEY.
Extendingtransitiontoaddressguardianshipalternatives:Anissueconcerningstudentswhohave
intellectual disabiltiy. Dorothy Squatrito Millar, Saginaw Valley State University, College of Edu-
cation,EN289,7400BayRoad,UniversityCenter,MI48710.
Addressissuppliedforauthorinboldfacetype.
EducationandTraininginAutismandDevelopmentalDisabilities,2014,49(2),171–188
©DivisiononAutismandDevelopmentalDisabilities
Addition to Transition Assessment Resources: A Template for
Determining the Use of Guardianship Alternatives for
Students who have Intellectual Disability
Dorothy Squatrito Millar
SaginawValleyStateUniversity
Abstract: The main purpose of this article is to add to the transition assessment resources by introducing the
GuardianshipAlternativeAssessmentTemplate(GAAT)asitrelatestoguardianshippreventionforyouthand
adultswhohaveanintellectualdisability.Guardianshipreferstoalegalinterventionwhenacourtdetermines
thatadultindividualsareincapableofcaringforthemselvesorpropertyandgivesallorsomeoftheirciviland
legalrightstoanother,aguardian.Withthespecificpurposeofofferingasystematic,interrelatedresourcethat
addressesguardianshipissues,theassessmenttemplatewasderivedfromcombiningassessmentideasandwork
ofthefollowingsystems:education,mentalhealth,andjudicial.TheGAATaddressestheindividual’svision
andvalues;dailylivingandcognitivefunctioning;riskofharmandleastrestrictiveguardianshipalternatives;
and opportunities to enhance capacity. Because the GAAT is comprehensive and considers the student in a
holistic manner, it can serve as a resource for eliciting assessment results that will assist with transition
planningregardingacademicsandfunctionallifeskillsforstudentswithintellectualdisabilitieswhomaybe
injeopardyoflosingcivilandlegalrights,particularlywhentheircompetenceandcapacitytomakedecisions
arequestioned.
AgeofMajority,InformedConsent, studentreachestheageofmajority,IDEAalso
Capacity,Competence,andGuardianship mandates that all the rights bestowed to par-
Concerns ents are to transfer to the student unless the
student is determined to be incompetent by
The Individuals with Disabilities Education
Statelaw,orconsideredtolackthecapacityto
Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA 2004) man-
provide informed consent with respect to ed-
dates that transition assessment, planning,
ucationalprogramming[614(d)(1)(A)VIII].
and services be addressed for students begin-
Informed consent has been defined as the
ning no later than age 16 and earlier, if ap-
“individual’s ability to make knowledgeable
propriate. A purpose of assessment and plan-
choices about programs, procedures or activ-
ning is to identify each student’s long range
ities that are potentially invasive or have sig-
goalsrelativetothefollowingoutcomes:post-
nificant impact on that person’s life. By pro-
secondary education, vocational education,
viding ‘informed consent,’ one implies that
integratedemployment(includingsupported
onehasadequateinformationabouttheissue,
employment); continuing and adult educa-
understands the consequences of the action,
tion; adult services; independent living or
and is able to use that information to make
communityparticipation[602(34)(A)];andis
decisions and give permission” (Lindsey,
based on the individual student’s needs, tak-
Wehmeyer, Guy, & Martin, 2001, p. 6). The
ing into account his or her strengths, prefer-
decisions and choices must also be made vol-
ences, and interests [602(34)(B)]. When a
untarily (Grisso, 2003). The term capacity,
used both in clinical and legal settings, often
refers to a member of the judicial system,
Correspondence concerning this article should
mental health or medical field, to make a
beaddressedtoDorothySquatritoMillar,Saginaw
ValleyStateUniversity,CollegeofEducation,7400 determination of a person’s ability to make
Bay Road, REC EN 289, University Center, MI decisions or perform certain functions, and
48710.E-mail:[email protected] serves as critical evidence in guardianship
TransitionAssessmentTemplate / 171
court proceedings (Dudley & Goins, 2003; guardianship appointment in the first place
Moye, Butz, Marson, & Wood, 2007; Moye et (Millar, 2003) and have often appeared to
al.,2007;Sabatino&Basinger,2000). have benefited the guardian more than the
Intermsofadefinitionofcompetency,sev- ward(Moye&Naik,2011).Howandbasedon
eralexistastheyrelatetovariousareasofthe what evidence to determine competence and
law (e.g., legal competencies in the criminal capacity has been a concern of advocates for
process including competence to stand trial people in jeopardy of having a guardian ap-
and criminal responsibility, and legal compe- pointed(Dudley&Goins,2003;Grisso,2003;
tenceincivilcasesincludingparentalcompe- Moye, Butz, et al., 2007; Moye & Naik, 2011;
tence,competencetocareforselforproperty, Sabatino&Basinger,2000).
andcompetencetoconsenttotreatment).Le- Whethertoseekaguardianappointmentof
gal competencies have common central fea- an adult aged individual with an intellectual
tures which, according to Grisso (2003), are disabilityisaquestionthathasbeenpondered
that they recognize: (a) the rights of individ- by parents, educators, and service providers
uals to make decisions and have control of (Millar, 2007, 2008). Before any legal action
theirownlives,(b)thatsomeindividualsmay occursitisnecessarythatallstakeholderspo-
not have the capacities to make every impor- tentially impacted by guardianship (e.g., the
tantdecisionintheirlives,(c)thereisaneed individual with a disability, family members)
to provide a legal mechanism for identifying have knowledge of guardianship procedures
individualsforwhomtherelevantincapacities used by the legal system, and guardianship
may exist, and (d) that when legal incompe- alternativesthatpreservetherightsofindivid-
tence is determined, it allows, obligates, or ualsfacingguardianship(seeMillar,2013,for
justifiesthestate’sinterventionincertainways a complete description of the legal process
inordertoprotectthewelfareoftheindivid- andalternatives).
ual.Althoughtherearecommonfeatures,this
article focuses on the legal competencies in
PurposeofArticle
cases when considering adults who have an
intellectual disability and their capacities to Amainpurposeofthisarticleistoaddtothe
careforselforproperty,orprovideinformed transition assessment resources by introduc-
consent,arequestioned. ing the Guardianship Alternative Assessment
Template(GAAT)asitrelatestoguardianship
prevention for youth and young adults who
GuardianshipDecisions
have an intellectual disability. It is the first
Whenstudentsarereaching,orhavereached, known assessment that is derived from and
the age of majority their competence and ca- combinestheworksandideasacrosstheedu-
pacity abilities may be questioned, hence the cation, mental health, and judicial systems,
issueofguardianshipmayberaised—particu- withthespecificpurposeofofferingasystem-
larly during transition-related IEP meetings atic, interrelated foundation as it addresses
(Millar, 2007, 2008, 2009). Guardianship re- fiveareasofinteresttostakeholders(e.g.,fam-
fers to the legal interventions by the state in ilymembers,educators,agencyserviceprovid-
whichtherightsofoneadultperson(award) ers and members of the judicial system) who
are removed and given to another (a guard- support and work with youth and adults with
ian)asacourthasdeterminedthatthewardis intellectual disabilities. Specifically, the five
totally or partially incapable or competent of areasGAATaddressesaretheindividual’s:vi-
makingdailylivingdecisions(Millar&Renza- sion,valuesandpreferences;dailylivingfunc-
glia, 2002; Moye & Naik, 2011). Although tioning; cognitive functioning; risk of harm
guardianship may be intended to protect andleastrestrictiveguardianshipalternatives;
someoneconsideredvulnerableandlacksthe and opportunities to enhance capacity. The
capacity or competence to make decisions newly created GAAT, and the results gained
(Zimny&Grossberg,1998),itinfactresultsin fromusingit,isintendedtofacilitatethecom-
the substantial loss of rights for that adult. It munication about the individual’s with an in-
has even been found that guardians do not tellectualdisabilitycapacitytomakedecisions
addresstheissuesofconcernthatprompteda and perform adult life roles should the ques-
172 / EducationandTraininginAutismandDevelopmentalDisabilities-June2014
tion be raised if a guardian appointment is arenotactuallyaddressingtheallegedward’s
necessary.Moreimportantly,theGAAToffers functionallifeskillsandabilitytolivesafelyin
guardianship alternatives that could be used the community performing daily living tasks
to address concerns, hence, negating a need associated with being an adult (Dudley &
ofaguardian. Goins, 2003; Grisso, 2003; Millar, 2013; Moye
& Naik, 2011; Sabatino & Basinger, 2000).
The issue is that there is a need to weigh the
AssessmentsasTheyRelatetotheuseof
extent of the incapacity with having a legal
GuardianshipanditsAlternatives
findingmadeofincompetence.
Because of the profound implications associ-
atedwithhavingaguardianappointed,school
Guardianship-RelatedAssessments
assessments, particularly the transition assess-
ments,shouldandcanhaveanimportantrole Guardianship reforms have placed the assess-
in preventing any unnecessary guardianship ment reports of adult individuals in a central
actions. Transition assessment, according to evidentiary role for determining individual
Sitlington,Neubert,Lombard,Begun,andLe- rights and protection when facing guardian-
Conte(2007),referstoanongoingprocessof ship (Dudley & Goins, 2003; Moye, 2003;
collecting information on the student’s Moye & Naik, 2011; Sabatino & Basinger,
strengths,needs,preferences,andinterestsas 2000). Although there are no uniting federal
they relate to the demands of current and laws regarding guardianship procedures and
future education, living, learning, and work- each state is responsible for determining its
ingenvironments.Thesescholarsrecommend own processes as they relate to minors and
that the assessments and process, both infor- adults,themajorityofstatesfollowallorsome
mally or formally, begin during early child- of the guidelines set forth by the Uniform
hood and continue until the student gradu- GuardianshipandProtectiveProceedingsAct
ates or exits high school. It has also been (UGPPA) (Moye, Butz, et al., 2007; Moye,
suggested that with regard to guardianship Wood,etal.,2007).TheUGPPAhasproposed
concerns, that competence and capacity de- recommendations regarding all aspects of
termination assessments and specific assess- guardianshipandwhatStatescoulddoasthey
mentsrelatedtotheuseofguardianshipalter- evaluate and reform their guardianship re-
nativesoccurthroughouttheentirelifespan, lated statutes (National Conference of Com-
particularly if there is ever a time when an missioners of Uniform State Laws: Uniform
adultindividualwithadisabilityisinjeopardy GuardianshipandProtectiveProceedingsAct,
of losing all or some civil or legal rights and 1997). Although the UGPPA addresses all as-
under the threat of having a legal guardian pectsoftheguardianshipprocess,oneareaof
appointed(Millar,2013;Moye,2003). great concern is how competence and capac-
Professionals (e.g., educators, agency ser- ityarebeingdetermined.
vice providers, psychologists, social workers) The UGPPA describes incapacitated as an
haveakeyroleshouldtheneedofaguardian individualwhoisunabletoreceiveandevalu-
be considered as they have the responsibility ateinformationormakeorcommunicatede-
ofconductingmeaningfulassessmentsrelated cisions to such an extent that the individual
to determining competence and capacity lackstheabilitytomeetessentialrequirements
(Moye & Naik, 2011). Traditionally, profes- forphysicalhealth,safety,orself-care(National
sionalswhoconductassessmentshavehadan ConferenceofCommissionersofUniformState
essential role in the courts’ decisions about Laws: Uniform Guardianship and Protective
whetherandhowmuchtoappointaguardian Proceedings Act, 1997). The UGPPA recom-
toaward(fullorlimitedguardianship).Con- mendsthatpriortoaguardianshiprelatedcourt
cerns have been raised that these profession- order that all less restrictive alternatives to
alsmaybeunawareoftheguardianshipalter- guardianship be explored, and if or when is-
natives that exist (Dudley & Goins, 2003; sued, that partial (limited) guardians be used
Moye, Butz, et al., 2007). Concerns have also withtheaimoffosteringautonomyandprovid-
been raised that the assessments and tests ingopportunitiestothewardtomakeindepen-
used to determine competence and capacity dentdecisions(Quinn,2004).
TransitionAssessmentTemplate / 173
Thereisanenormousamountofvariability and attributes, as well as to determine the
with regard to how states determine some- extent and nature of the support the young
one’scompetenceandcapacitytomakedeci- adult may require. Assessment results can be
sions (Moye, Butz, et al., 2007). Some states used as the student’s goals are determined,
require that a competence or capacity deter- supports (including guardianship alterna-
minationassessmentbeperformedonlyonce tives) are identified, and services to be in-
andatthebeginningoftheguardianshippro- cluded in the Individualized Education Pro-
cess(seeMentalHealthCodeofMichiganAct gram (IEP). When conducted properly,
(MCLA)258of1974).Withinthepastdecade, assessmentresultswillprovidesufficientinfor-
the notion that someone either has or does mation to determine if there are concerns
nothavetotalcapacitytomakealldecisionsor associated with guardian appointments (e.g.,
perform daily living tasks and therefore is in unable to manage money, unable to under-
need of a full guardian has changed in some stand and care for medical needs) and the
arenas(Moye,Butz,etal.,2007;Moye,Wood, needs identified during the assessment pro-
et al., 2007). There is also an emphasis that cessshouldprovidethebasisfordevelopinga
wheneverappointed,thattheguardian’spow- plan of action for avoiding guardianship and
ers and authority be limited to specific areas, work on its alternatives with the sole aim of
and for a limited amount of time, so that helping the young adult become and remain
wardshavetheirautonomypreservedinareas as self-sufficient as possible. The information
where they do have the capacity to make de- can also be used for the Summary of Perfor-
cisions (National Guardianship Network mance(SOP)asstudentsexitschools.Accord-
[NGN] Members, 2004). Advocates in some ing to IDEA 2004, the SOP must include a
stateshavearguedthatassessmentsaddressing summary of the student’s academic achieve-
capacitywithregardtoadultdailylivingskills ment and functional performance, and rec-
(includingdecisionmaking)shouldbeacon- ommendationsabouthowtoassistthestudent
tinuing process throughout the duration of to meet his or her postsecondary goals (see
theguardianshipterm,asapartoftheannual IDEA, Section 614, Part B-Evaluations before
review following guardian appointments, so ChangeinEligibility).
that up-to-date, accurate, and relevant infor-
mation is provided to the courts and other
ProcessUsedtoDesignaGuardianship
stakeholders involved in the ward’s life, as
AlternativeAssessmentTemplate
appropriate(Moye,Butz,etal.,2007).
As educators, agency service providers, and
members of the judicial system support and
IDEATransition-RelatedAssessments
work with individuals who have intellectual
IDEA2004specificallyaddressestheneedfor disabilities, it is essential that these systems
soundtransitionassessmentandplanning.Ef- coordinateeffortsandcollaborate.Ithasbeen
fectivetransitionassessmentresultsandplan- learnedthatthesystemsdonothavecommon
ning for youth and young adults with disabil- languages or philosophies, hence leave fami-
ities can lay the foundation from which lies to make sense of the varying complex
educational programs and activities address- systemsthathavenotinteractedinacohesive
ing both academic and life skills ought to be manner to help an adult avoid unnecessary
determined.Transitionplanningisnotsome- guardianshipappointments(Dudley&Goins,
thingtooccurinthefinaltwoyearsofsecond- 2003; Moye, 2003). Interaction and integra-
ary schooling, but instead should be a funda- tionbetweenthesystemsisessentialsincethey
mental factor of each student’s entire are, or will, impact the life of the student as
educational program. IDEA requires “appro- theytransitionfromyouthtoadulthood.This
priate measurable postsecondary goals based interaction and integration can begin when
upon age appropriate transition assessments theindividualisstillinschool.
related to training, education, employment, AmainpurposefordesigningtheGuardian-
and, where appropriate, independent living ship Alternative Assessment Template (GAAT)
skills” (§300.320[b][1]). One purpose of as- was to interconnect the IDEA transition assess-
sessments is to identify each student’s skills ment and planning process with the UGPPA
174 / EducationandTraininginAutismandDevelopmentalDisabilities-June2014
recommendations should the issue of a stu- itlycomparedthequalityof119guardianship
dent’s competency and capacity to provide in- capacity assessment reports written for older
formedconsentbequestionedandthethreatof individuals in jeopardy of having a guardian
guardianship appointments occur. The GAAT appointed to two state’s legal standards
wasdevelopedthroughareviewofrelatedliter- (Pennsylvania,n(cid:2)59files;WestVirginia,n(cid:2)
aturewithspecificattentionaimedtowardsthe 60files).Usingaguardianshipassessmentre-
assessmentsusedtodeterminecompetenceand view instrument designed by the authors to
capacity in past studies, but more importantly assessthequalityofreportswrittenforcourts,
identify guardianship alternatives that might it was found that overall, the reports were
mitigate the need for a guardian. Also, the substandard.Ofthefourareasreviewed(cog-
GAATwasdesignedwiththeaimthatitcouldbe nitive symptoms, psychiatric symptoms, func-
usedinsituationswhenaguardianforanadult tional abilities, and current treatments), the
with an intellectual disability has already been authorsfoundthatlessthan10%oftheassess-
appointed, particularly during school years, ments met the minimum threshold for any
suchthattheguardianshipappointmentcould oneareaandonlytwoofthe119assessments
beremoved,oratleastmodifiedsuchthatitis met the criteria for thoroughness for all four
time limited and not plenary in nature. The areas(1.7%).For100%ofthepetitions,how-
review of the literature was then followed by ever, guardians were appointed (and 75% of
drafting an assessment, obtaining input from thetimeafullguardianshipwasgranted)de-
stakeholders,thenfinalizingtheassessmentcon- spitetheconclusionsthatreportsdidnotcon-
tent. tain adequate information for these determi-
nations. Prior to this study, research had not
specifically investigated the quality of assess-
SummaryofStudiesRelatedLiterature
ment reports, which are of such great impor-
It has been documented that there is limited tance in the guardianship proceedings when
extantliteratureonadultguardianship,andpar- capacityofanindividualisinquestion.
ticularly with reference to adults who have an A more recent study conducted by Moye,
intellectualdisability(Millar,2009;Payne-Chris- Wood, Edelstein, Armesto, Bower, Harrison
tiansen&Sitlington,2008).Althoughthereisa and Wood (2007) used their investigation to
restrictedamountofresearch,thefindingsare determine the extent to which assessments
informative,anddefinitelywithrespecttohow were of quality by examining 298 adult case
changes in the assessment process can and court files in the states of Pennsylvania, Mas-
should occur for schools and courts when a sachusetts, and Colorado. In this study it was
studentmaybeinjeopardyoflosingallorsome found that a description of the individual’s
civil and legal rights due a legal guardianship valuesandpreferenceswererarelyrecognized
appointment(Millar,2009). in capacity assessments and that the use of
Research specific to the elderly. Across the re- functional assessments was limited. Overall,
viewedstudiespertainingtotheelderlyitwas the authors found that even when state stat-
observedthatatleast90%ofthetimeaguard- utes promoted the use of functional assess-
ian was appointed to an individual and that ments and use of limited (partial guardian-
little attention addressed the types and con- ships),aneedremainedtoincreasethequality
tent of the assessment reports regarding the of assessments used to protect the rights of
alleged ward’s capacity. It was also observed adultsfacingguardianshipproceedings.
that the assessment reports provided general Researchspecifictoyoungadultswhohaveintel-
statements regarding the alleged ward’s cog- lectual disability. When considering IDEA
nitive status or functional ability (see Barritt and the impact guardian appointments may
Lisi & Barinaga-Burch, 1995; Bulcroft, or may not have on the rights of school-aged
Kielkopf, & Tripp,1991; Keith & Wacker, adultindividualswhohaveanintellectualdis-
1993) or referenced the presence of a state- ability, research is even more limited in com-
ment regarding capacity without detail (see parison to what is available regarding the el-
Bulcroftetal.,1991;Iris,1986;Lisi,Burns,& derly.Todate,sixstudieshaveaddressedthis
Lussenden,1994). population.Ofthesix,eachaddressedintheir
AstudybyDudleyandGoins(2003)explic- discussion and implication sections of the ar-
TransitionAssessmentTemplate / 175